Cover-holder for cans.



H. M. F. LEIGHTY.

COVER HOLDER FOR CANS. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 1909. RENEWED JAN. 28. 1910.

Patented Mar. 15,1910.

HENRY M. F. LEIGHTY, 0F DAWSON, IOWA.

COVER-HOLDER. FOR CANS.

earners.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 2, 1909, Serial No. 470,435.

Patented Mar. 15, 1910.

Renewed January 28, 1910. Serial No. 540,700.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY M. F. LEIGHTY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dawson, in the county of Dallas and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Cover-Holder for Cans, of which the following is a specification.

Cans for containing milk and other substances are usually constructed with the tops thereof flared upwardly and outwardly, and the covers are usually of corresponding shape, and are inserted in said flared tops. lVhen said cans are handled, it frequently happens that the covers become loose, and the contents of the cans are frequently spilled.

My object is to provide a device designed to be used in the nature of an attachment that may readily, quickly, and easily be attached to or removed from cans of this class, for the purpose of securely looking or holding the cover in position.

A further object is to provide a device of this kind of simple, durable and inexpensive 'construction.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a top or plan view of the complete cover-holding device. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the upper portion of a can and cover thereon, with my improved cover holder applied thereto in position for holding the cover to the can. The dotted lines in said figure show the position of the parts of the cover holder when spread to permit its detachment from the can.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate that portion of the can shown, the upper end thereof being flared upwardly and outwardly. The cover is indicated by the numeral 11, and is shaped to fit into the top of the can.

My improved cover holding device comprises a lever 12 and two wire loops, one of them being connected at its ends with a rivet or pin 13, near one end of the lever. The sides of said loop adjacent to the ends are extended outwardly away from each other at let, and are then curved downwardly at 15, and the central portion 16 is of segmental shape designed to fit against the exterior of a can near its top.

Connected with the parts 1 1 is a wire cross piece 17 arranged in a plane above the segmental part 16, and having a downwardly inclined portion at 18 at the center thereof. The other loop is pivoted at its ends to a rivet or pin 19, arranged between the rivet or pin 13, and the handle end of the lever 12. The sides of the loop are extended outwardly from each other at 20, then downwardly at 21, and the central portion of the loop 22 is of segmental shape. By this arrangement, it is obvious that when the lever 12 is in a substantially upri ht position, the two rivets or pins 13 and 19 will be substantially in line with each other vertically. Hence, the segmental portions 16 and 22 will be separated from each other to a considerable extent. Then when the lever 12 is moved downwardly to the position shown by solid lines in Fig. 2, the end portions of the loops will overlap each other, and the parts 16 and 22 will be much nearer each other. Furthermore, the part 18 of the cross piece 17 is designed to receive the handle end of the lever, and to prevent lateral movement thereof. It is also so arranged that when the handle end of the lever engages said cross piece, the rivet or pin 19 will first pass a central line drawn from the rivet or pin 13 to the handle end of the lever, and said cross piece 17 will prevent movement of the handle end of the lever downwardly beyond a point slightly past the dead center.

In practical use, it is obvious that the construction of the can itself, and the construction of the cover need not be in any way altered or changed, to provide for the use of my improved cover holder. And furthermore, the cover holder will fit cans of slightly different dimensions on account of the resiliency of the wire loops. After a cover has been placed in position on a can, the operator moves the lever to a substantially vertical position such as is shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. He then places the holder on top of the can with the parts 16 and 18 below the top of the can. He then moves the lever to position with its handle end resting in the part 18 on the cross piece 17, whereupon the segmental portions 16 and 22 of the wire loops will firmly engage the side of the can below the top, and thus firmly and immovably secure the' cover to the can.

The cross piece 17 performs the double function of preventing lateral movements of the lever, and also of permitting the handle end of the lever to lie in a plane below the top of the can, so that it is not likely to become accidentally engaged and released. It furthermore prevents downward movement of said lever beyond the desired position.

I claim as my invention:

1. A cover holder for cans, comprising a lever and two wire loops, each loop being formed of a single piece of wire and comprising a segmental, central portion designed to, fit against the exterior of a can, said loops being extended outwardly and upwardly at the ends of the segmental portion, and then inwardly toward the center of the can and toward each other, and being pivotally connected to the said lever, the pivotal arrangement of the wire loops with the lever being such that when the lever is extended upwardly, the loops extend outwardly away from each other, and when the lever is moved downwardly, the segmental portions of the loops will be brought into engagement with the outer surface of the can. i

2. A cover holder for cans, comprising a lever and two wire loops, each loop being formed of a single piece of wire and comprising a segmental, central portion designed to fit against the exterior of a can, said loops being extended outwardly and upwardly at the ends of the segmental portion, and then inwardly toward the center of the can and toward each other, and being pivotally connected to the said lever, the pivotal arrangement of the wire loops with the lever being such that when the lever is extended upwardly, the loops extend outwardly away from each other, and when the lever is moved downwardly, the segmental portions of the loops will be brought into engagement with the outer surface of the can, and a crosswire fixed to the sides of one of the loops and having a depression in its central portion designed to, receive the end 01" the lever and to limit its downward and. late 'al movement, substantially as and for the purposes stated.

Des Moines, Iowa, October 6, 1908.

HENRY M. E. LEIGHTY. l/Vitnesses J. J. MoCRoRY, L. S. LIVINGSTON. 

